The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-08-18
FORT BLAKELY.
The steadlness and GaIlantry of steele's Conn


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: / do not be-
lieve in contradiction for the sake of being
contrary OF having the last word, but am in
favor OF truth aud fair play, and would like to
correct some of the mistakes made by comrades
of the Sixteenth Corps about the siege and as
sanlt on Fort Blakely. The command of Maj
Gen. Fred Steele consisted of the Second and
Third Brigades, Second Division, Thirteenth
Corps. Brevet Maj .-Gen. e. @. Andrews COM
manding; division of colorod troops under
Brighten. Hawkins; the Ist Ne. and some
other cavalry, and four batteries, the names of
which do not recolect, except the 18th Mass.
The command left Pensacola, Fla, March 20,
1863 arrived before Blakely, April 2, and i'm
mediately began the siege. The line OF invest
ment was formed with the colured troops on
the right, and they bravely bore their part
both in the siege and the assault. Our divIs-
ion came next, our brigade-the Third--on
the left aud l am sure there was none of the
Sixteenth Corps there then. Our brigade was
commanded by Col. Moore, of the SD Ohio,
with which the 18th Ohio was consolidated |;
besides these were the 37th ILL.,; 18th, 2Oth and
3ith Iowa; 10Th Wis, and 26th Ind, and the
18th Mass. battery.
The siege was prosecuted with vigor, but
the rebels had an unpleasant habit of getting
up about a. m. and opening fire all along the
line, and OF course We had TO turn out and
form, ready for any emergency. We had no
siege artillery and the Johnnies used TO max O
fun OF our 3inch rifles and ask Us if we did
not want TO borrow some artillery. Oae of
their gunboats used TO aniuse herself sending
the compliments of 6-Ilch ride down our
line. One night a battery OF 30-pounder Par
rotts, OF the 9th Mich. ii. A.. was brought from
Spanish Fort and placed in position on the
right The next morning the gunboat got
more than she wanted. aud went away and
staid.
The 9th of April the order to assault the fort
was given, and that day about noon "A division
of the Sixteenth Corps arrived and formed on
our left. That, l believe, was their first APP
pearance before Blakely. IL certainly was the
first time / remember seeing them, and was
present every day of the siege. About D. H.
our reserves were brought up and formed line
of battle in the main ri1e.pit, which was four
feet deep and eight feet wide, aud extended
along our entire front, SO we were under cover
until the assault began. As looked over the
space between and the fort, covered with
fallen timber, brush aud everything that could
hinder our progress, and thought of the torpe-
does thickly planted in the ground, 1 will own
that never wanted 10 20 home so badly in all
my life. Hearing a bugle little To our left
saw battery going into action in gallant style
on slight rise of ground, and soon the whizz
OF their shot told that th6y meant business So
well did they ply their 20-ponnd PARROTS that
very soon one rebel gun WAS disnounted and
another disabled of the battery in front of our
brigade.
One comrade says Steele's men started before
they did, and their line broke and fell back.
aud the rebels jumped up on their works, waved
their hats and cheered. Another says il was
after p. m, and of course too dark To see any
thing. The truth is, the skirmish-line started
st the signal given, precisely at $50 p. H., and
we'll remember the pride and enthusiasm with
which watched regiment on the Sixteenth
Corps skirmish-line as they calamity breasted
the storm of lead that was thinning their ranks,
in the brief interval between the starting Of
the first aud second lines / know that no part
OF the line broke or halted, and no rebel showed
his head above the works until he held white
flag in his hand.
AT SIX o'clock the fort and all IL contained
were ours-3,3O0 prisoners were taken and inn
mense stores of war material. was one of the
first men at the river, aud | saw no rebels
swimming or being shot ia the water. / did
see a boat containing foar orifive men row of
To "a guuboat, which immediately steamed away
toward Mobile.-"OLD BRUIS.p Co +, 37th H.,
Walton, Mich.